


Keep On, Keeping On

by RumpledSkagskin



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Alpha!Jack, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Corporate Espionage, M/M, Morally Ambiguous Characters, Omega!Rhys, Power Imbalance, Science!Magic, Siren!Rhys, Sirens, Tropes, Unhealthy Relationships, work-in-progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:21:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24623110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RumpledSkagskin/pseuds/RumpledSkagskin
Summary: This wasn't in any of the plans. This wasn't the way things were predicted to go.
Relationships: Handsome Jack/Rhys (Borderlands)
Comments: 37
Kudos: 118





	1. Onwards and Upwards!

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is the first fanfiction I've ever written! I have a plot line worked out and quite a lot of background information already written down, I'd really appreciate any constructive critisism (please don't be too harsh, I'm a sensitive soul) I'm aiming to update once a fortnight. I also know zero people in fandoms or that are into fanfic, so no one has beta read this.
> 
> I've uh, got a lot of tropes going on in here, and I'm aware of that, and yeah this is a bit self-indulgent and somewhat OTT. Canon wise most of its gone out the window in terms of storyline, I don't want to give to much away in the notes, there are definitely going to be Vault Hunters, Guns, Carnage, and probably far, far less smut and more plot than you'd expect.

There was a hush over Janitorial, the sanitation sector was tucked in the depths of Helios, a few charging cleaning bots sat decked within their docks, a couple were scattered about the place waiting for repairs; Rhys was pretty sure a few of them had been used as target practice for some sort of experimental weapon; repairing those was probably not going to be as easy as unclogging a few cogs and resetting a some loose wires. But his focus wasn't there, his focus – like that of the other remaining janitors – was locked on to the grim face of the Head of Janitorial.

Bert was a large set man, no nonsense kinda guy that didn't deal with shit – well, figuratively – but his normally ruddy face was surprisingly pale, and his lips were pressed into a tight line. So it hadn't been an a joke, Rhys thought weakly, hoping that it had been some late on hazing.

“I uh, thought it was just the bots that went, um, up there” He felt his voice crack towards the end of the sentence.

“Yeah, but uh” Bert rubbed at the top of his balding head, and shrugged one shoulder with a grimace “Sorry kid, they want a body up there pronto” He jerked his head towards his office, and Rhys reluctantly stood up from his workstation, feet laden as he followed, trying to ignore the pitying and shocked glances of the rest of the room.

Once inside the office – which couldn't really be called that, not with all the cleaning supplies tucked into the corner and one of the desk legs was propped up by a partial shell of a cleaning bot. Bert leaned back in his chair. They both stared at each other for a beat, before Bert burst out a sigh

“Its unusual, but they uh” He glanced outside the window as if checking to see if anyone was watching, before dropping his voice “They requested an omega” he whispered. Rhys rocked back, eyes wide, he knew that is endotype was listed on his documents, and there wasn't any real avoiding it but he took steps to appear as a beta, most of janitorial were betas – Rhys was the only omega.

“Right, so um, I should head up there?” He voice most certainly did not quiver. And neither did his hands that he shoved into the pockets of his yellow overalls.

“Kid” Bert, shifted uncomfortably before unlocking a drawer and drawing out a key-card “I like ya, I know you didn't exactly want to end up here” He offers him a small grin “Most of us don't, y'know -apart from Freddie, but that guy, well” He shrugged, and Rhys nodded because yeah, Freddie was uh, unusual. “So, go up there, do what you need to do, keep your mouth shut and come back down alive y'hear?”

Rhys nodded, untucking a hand to reach out for the key-card. “Right...um, what executive level is it?”

“Right at the top kid, Handsome Jacks place. And you better get moving”

Rhys felt like he was in a daze as he nodded and made his way through the back corridors, navigating maintenance paths before reaching a small unassuming elevator. Apparently, he only needed a small cart, one of the standard issues. No body-bags, he thought with a hysterical laugh, or at least not yet.

He pressed his eyelids closed tightly, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth, trying to regulate his heartbeat. The card was accepted, and firming up his resolve he stepped into the elevator that spend upwards with startling speed towards what he was sure would be his doom.

The doors slid open with a chirpy ping, and he crept outside, cybernetic hand wrapped around the handle of the cleaning cart. The hallway was smaller than he expected – well, shorter – the large walls rising up to meet in a curve. The black metallic shimmered, although Rhys wasn't entirely sure what material they were made of, he consciously held back an urge to activate his ECHOeye, aware that any sort of scanning up here was bound to get the wrong sort of attention.

The door at the end, opened up suddenly, and a woman strode out, locking eyes with him and raising a sharp blue eyebrow. She was an alpha, that was clear, but more importantly, she was a _siren alpha_.

Rhys felt his heart make a sharp lunge to escape through his throat, and adverted his eyes. He could feel her gaze, and could almost feel the thrum of his powers beneath his skin in answer _not now_ he thought with a burst of panic, _stay still, stay hidden_ he dared a glance up through his eyelashes, the alpha – _siren! alpha_ – looked distinctly, unimpressed, and with a sharp tip of her head, beckoned him inside.

Rhys followed, cursing every step he took and wishing he could turn tail and run. She didn't seem to recognise him for what he was and for that he was thankful.

“You an omega?” She said as he stepped closer, tilting her head to sent the air, seemingly confirming it “Good, don't want the big boss man getting territorial” She grinned at him sharply. He nodded his head, not trusting his voice. She stepped to the side to let him pass, and then followed on his heels. He came to an automatic stop, taken aback by the sheer splendour of the scale of the apartment.

“Ogle less, tidy up more” The alpha said, moving past him to step down into the large floor and across into sit down and lounge in a sofa that was probably the entire the length of his apartment.

Rhys nodded, taking a hesitant step forward. There was no outward sign of a disaster, just casual mess built up from a few days. This was exactly the sort of thing that the cleaning bots were for, but Rhys kept his mouth shut.

“Start in the kitchen!” The alpha said, attention already on her book in front of her. Which Rhys was incredibly grateful for – the less attention on him the better. He could see the kitchen area in the far distance, wide dark counters and a breakfast bar big enough for a banquet. Less was definitely not more up here it seemed.

He inhaled subtly, as he crossed the room, his feet and the wheels of the cart making little to know sound, there was definitely the scent of alpha, and it was dizzyingly enough, of Handsome Jack that was the most prominent, and the siren alpha, whose presence he resolutely ignored - _if I can't see her, she can't see me –_ but there was also another scent, a child. Everyone knew about Handsome Jacks daughter but she was so rarely seen it was hard to realise the actuality of her existence.

The kitchen was a mess, plates haphazardly piled in the sink and crumbs and dirt all over the floor. Rhys wrinkled his nose. He wasn't a maid! He wasn't even supposed to be a janitor, but he swallowed down his pride – which, he was getting more and more used to these days, and began to begrudgingly tidy up. He had just figured out how to sort out the dishwasher and loaded it up when with a whoosh the main doors opened.

“Maya – what ...” His voice, just as smooth all the times Rhys had heard it – but never live, from Handsome Jacks mouth to his actual ears in the same freaking room! -

“Who the hell is in my kitchen?” The snarl was enough to force a small whine out of Rhys mouth, and he desperately wanted to hunker down – maybe he could fit inside the dishwasher?

“Daddy, language” a small voice singsonged, and shit, shit, shit shit. Handsome Jack didn't know Rhys was supposed to be here, and now he was a unknown in the alphas territory with a young child present.

“We did talk about this Jack, you just weren't supposed to be here” The siren – Maya - said, waspishly

“Not supposed be – ugh, what ever – you! Kitchen scrub, up where I can see ya!” Well there was no arguing with that voice, Rhys thought glumly, as he stood up shaking.

He had fantasies of meeting Handsome Jack – he did have a pulse after all – but none of them like this, in his unflattering yellow boiler suit, with stains on his knees and what he suspected by now was grease in his hairline. His fingers twitched, his eyes were wide and he couldn't help but stare – directly meeting Handsome Jacks gaze, and what the hell Rhys, _eyes down, eyes down!_ His mouth felt dry and his tongue to large. Because Handsome Jack was there in all his towering glory.

“Daddy, your scaring him” Angel pipped up, peering around from her fathers leg.

“Good” Handsome Jack growled, brushing his hand over Angels head before striding towards Rhys who instinctively exposed his throat, backing away until his back met the cold counter. No where to go, he thought in a panic, before Handsome Jack was there – in his space, looming over him. He reached out with a hand, and Rhys flinched away just before his hand made contact with his neck. Handsome Jack growled, eyes dark “ _ **Stay still**_ ” and oh god, that was a command, Rhys could feel his body tremble with the effort to stay still when all he wanted to do was run.

“Daddy!” Angels voice interrupted and as Handsome Jack turned - she came running around the side, feet slipping on a floor that Rhys hadn't cleaned off properly, and careening off towards the sharp edge of an end cabinet. Her head was going to -

Rhys felt his skin tingle and then _thrum_ , power lunging up through him without his consent, catching her, the world seemed to stop. No one moved, Rhys didn't dare breath, flesh hand still outstretched the shimmering of his tattoos breaking through the masking film free at last. Handsome Jack moved and the spell was broken – Angel was solidly on her feet again when Handsome Jack moved to stand in front of her, teeth bared in Rhys' direction.

“I..I uh” He floundered, breathing was suddenly too hard, his lungs were and now he was aware of it, the pendant that hung just above his navel burned fierce; scalding against his skin. His vision swam, and his legs gave out before everything went horribly and blissfully dark.

The horrible awareness that everything hurt was one of the first things that reached him and tugged him begrudgingly towards consciousness, god, even his teeth ached, he felt brittle and hollow, but something was burning alive inside of him, electric wires through his veins. He didn't want to open his eyes. Maybe if he stayed really still then they'd -

“Kids awake” Mayas' voice floated above him

“'Bout time” growled Handsome Jack, and great – it had not been some bizarre fever dream, or weird hallucination from something spilled down in the chemical department of R&D. He wasn't on the kitchen floor, he was lying on something softer, the sofa he realised as he became slightly more aware, and he was half naked. He sat up with a jolt, hands pressing over his chest and letting out a low hiss of pain when he encountered a small square piece of material and felt the throb of a painful burn behind that. Right. Powers. Protection null and void.

He blinked up, Handsome Jack leaned forward, arms crossed over the back of the sofa, Maya standing on Rhys' other side, both of them staring. He felt exposed, vulnerable and yet, with the power that he still felt coursing through him, oddly powerful.

“So kiddo” Handsome Jack said, leaning forward, blue and green eyes locked on his with a fierce intent “Got quite a few questions for ya, wanna do it this the easy way or -”

“I didn't mean to!” Rhys burst out, trying to get his legs up and under him, but flailing instead “It was - sorry - an accident, Handsome Jack sir, sorry I'm...I...” And he had no words.

“Kiddo, you apologising for stopping my little girl takin' a lump to her noggin'?” Handsome Jack drawled, leaning back “Although, I guess this means you're taking the easy way” He said, stretching, all predatory “Shame I'd like to go hard with you” He winked and Rhys chocked, throwing an alarmed glance up at his hero, his boss, the one and only Handsome Jack himself, alpha of the alphas. He barely managed a squeak of terror, before Mayas' hand – cool and pleasant rested on his flesh shoulder, Handsome Jack scowled at it, and Rhys managed to blink away from alpha number one to alpha number two.

“So, siren huh?” She said, and dimly Rhys wondered if he could get away with lying and denying it before nodding slightly.

“An omega siren” Handsome Jack said slowly, and Rhys didn't risk a look back. “An omega siren, on Helios working for frigging sanitation?! God, ugh, how does...”

“I was, uh, in data mining? Before I uh” Rhys said, turning his head sharply even though it made his vision swim and he had to stop to blink. “...wasn't” he finished with a shrug because right now he had more pressing concerns “Can, uh, I go?” He asked hopefully, wishful thinking.

Handsome Jack scoffed, shaking his head “Uh, yeah – NO!” He clapped his hands onto the back of the sofa, and Rhys jumped slightly at the vibration. “Start talking. _**Now** _”

“I wasn't, I didn't – it was you see, I just didn't” Rhys is babbling, he's babbling and they are going to kill him or worse and he doesn't see a way out of this.

“Jack” Maya says sharply “Quit freaking him out” Rhys didn't helpfully point out that she was also freaking him out and had been before Handsome Jack even got here. She sat down beside Rhys, hand still on his shoulder, firm and grounding. She ignored Handsome Jacks growl, even as Rhys flinched away from it.

“Haven't seen one of these for years” She said, holding up a long chain with the scorched pendant dangling uselessly, metal casing pulled apart, wires spilling out and the cracked remainder of an eridium shard within, glinting dully in the light. “Didn't think they still got made”

“They don't” Rhys said hoarsely “I uh, inherited it” He said, wincing slightly and sending a silent apology to his mothers memory, he had ended up directly in the situation she had so often cautioned him about. Above his head, Maya and Handsome Jack shared a look.

“So, talk to me, where did you come from” There is enough alpha force in her voice, something swaying him even as he can hear Handsome Jack growl distantly in the background.

“Prometha” He says, looking downwards at his chest, where the lightning of his tattoos burns as clear as day “I uh, my mother was an omega, not a siren, but she was a house omega” He swallowed, “When I was born as OB+ she said, that uh she didn't...she didn't want me to be like that. So she, um” He swallows, and ethers a glass of water shoved in his direction, some of it spills over and is a relief to his heated skin, he gratefully takes a drink, ignoring the tremors in his hand and its plucked away from him before he can spill the remainder of it all over himself “Her uh, my...” He hesitates over the word father “y'know, he had um, a lot of artefacts, siren ones, biggest collection on Prometha apparently. So she took it – and me and well” He shrugged.

“And well, you just went to college, got a job here and went on with things?” Handsome Jack barks a laugh “Kiddo, that's just...did you know?” His voice is accusingly sharp, and Rhys realised belatedly that the last part of that is directed at Maya, even as he tugs his legs up to his chest, ignoring the bandage and the burn.

“No!” She says, huffing and squaring her shoulders up “Just asked for someone to come clean up a bit, since you know -” She gestured with a arm at the penthouse in general, and Rhys knows he's missing something “Did ask for an omega, though” She said thoughtfully frowning at Rhys “Did think there was something...unusual about him” She narrows one eye and squints at him.

“Okay, _okay_ ” Handsome Jack says, heaving himself over the sofa and sprawling out, crocking a finger in a 'come here' gesture that Rhys finds himself obeying, he scoots further towards Jack, slipping out from Mayas' grasp before hesitantly kneeling beside Handsome Jack.

Handsome Jack lifts up Rhys head with those same fingers, pressed against the soft underside of his jaw, tipping his head this way and that, analysing, brow furrowed.

“Jack...” Maya says “This could be really beneficial for -”

“Yeah” He snaps “I know” He leans back, arms spread over the back of the sofa, and Rhys still feels the burn of his fingers against his chin. “So here's the thing kid, your days of a janitor are over, not that I suppose you'll be too put out about that” He grins rakishly “You're gonna be working' _directly_ for me – if a few important details work out in your favour” He says, eyes narrowing.

Rhys nods mutely, something is spreading through his body, he belatedly realises that he may have been drugged, he blinks slowly, and Handsome Jacks smiles “We'll have a much longer chat when you wake up again sugar”

Rhys struggles to remain conscious, even feels his powers surge and swell before Handsome Jack grips the back of his neck and squeezes “Ah-ah-ah, kitten, none of that now” All Rhys can focus on is the grip on his neck and Handsome Jack is the focus of everything before hazily, the world once again descends into darkness.

–

Consciousness, when it prods at him comes in fits and starts, he feels comfortable, relaxed even as his memories catch up its slow to run to his instincts, no impulsive need to run, hide. Something deep into his bones is telling him he's safe, this is safe. He struggles to sit up, one armed – his cybernetic arm is gone, he blinks at his shoulder socket slowly, his ECHOeye is deactivated – he doesn't prod to closely, and looks around the room. It's larger than his own, he notes, barely decorated, there's just simple furnishings, the large bed he's been placed on, bedside table – double doors to what he thinks will be a built in closet. There are two other doors, one is unmarked, the other is locked.

He eyes the red light on the panel, nerves now beginning to stir, but he doesn't feel afraid. He shifts his legs under the cover, the fabric is soft and sinful against his flesh. someone has stripped him down to just his boxer shorts and tucked him into bed. He presses his flesh hand to his face, trying to stifle a short burst of laughter.

Vaughn is not going to – now his instincts catch up, and he feels a rush of nausea, wildly, kicking his legs out of the bed, and after a brief scuffle with the sheets, makes his way over to the door, heart thumping, he isn't sure what is going to happen to him, but Vaughn is going to be questioned. Ask him what he knows, how long and Rhys feels sick, because if this bounces back onto his best bro...

He pauses, hand above the locking mechanism, he pushes at it a and it gives a low disapproving buzz in return, he sighs, running a hand through his hair, and takes in the rest of the room, peering up into the corners of the ceiling – maybe there's a camera in here that will get someone' attention? He waves at a shadowy spot, and then feels a bit stupid. A brief investigation reveals that yes, there is a closet, and better still a small bathroom. He's in there, leaning against the sink, critically eyeing his reflection – his hair has definitely seen better days, but he's gonna give himself a pass, today has been eventful. Actually he's not entirely sure if it is still today?

He idly picks at some of the faux skin that up until now had been quite good at keeping the bulk of his tattoos hidden, he'd left some of them exposed – half for vanity, and they were mixed in with normal tattoos of the needle and ink variety. The stuff is expensive as hell, costs as small fortune but works – well, worked – a dream. He leans his forehead against the mirror and lets it fog up under his breath.

He hears the door outside beep and unlock, his shoulders hitch and tense, but there is still something keeping him from full blown panic, he isn't sure quite what it is – maybe whatever the hell they'd drugged him with. Something flickers at his senses, Maya. He straightens up, he can't hide in here for ever, and even if it does mean facing an alpha siren in his underwear.

She's standing in the door way, not entering, which relaxes him slightly, he doesn't want to feel cornered, and he feels that's probably what she's aiming for.

“So...” She says “siren huh?” Her eyebrow arches, and she smiles – maybe its supposed to be comforting but Rhys doesn't feel that much safer around her. She whistles lowly, and slouches against the door “Got some balls there, faking it in Hyperion”

“It's not like anyone ever asked” Rhys spits out “And almost everyone is faking it at Hyperion”

She blinks startled, and then laughs “Okay, yeah” She nods seemingly to herself “You got a handle on your powers, no uh...unexpected explosions to be expected?”

“No” Rhys says, “I don't...we don't, uh – I don't think I can do that?” He says – definitely not questioning, Maya narrows her eyes

“You do know what your capabilities are?”

“Uhm...”

“Aw hell” Maya sighs into her hand “Okay, so how long you being wearing the inhibitor?”

“Always” Rhys says, holding his arm across his chest, the pain has lessoned, he's guessing they've given him the good stuff. “Well, as long as I can remember. I do...I've used them before, my powers, its uh, never really been on purpose.”

Maya leans forward a gleam in her eyes “Instinctive? Like with Angel just there?”

“Yeah, I – just like with that – no, not really” He paces, “My mother, she – well, she got sick sometimes and I helped. I guess.”

Maya is nodding “Not a lot of information on omega sirens out there”

Rhys twitches mouth curling into a grimace “Yeah, I know – not many is there?” He says, flexing his hand nervously at his side.

“Including you? Three that I know of”

Rhys feels the world stop “ _Three?_ In the entire six galaxies?”

“One dead, one missing” Maya says, shrugging her shoulders “But yeah.”

Rhys sits down heavily on the bed, running his hand through his hair. Three? Only three? He thought at least there would be a few others, sirens only make up a tiny minority of the population and he knows that they are mostly alpha. “So what's he going to do with me?” Rhys asks, eye fixed on the floor, shoulders slumping forward. It takes a while for Maya to answer, Rhys can feel her powers reach towards him, pressing and pushing “Stop that” He snaps, physically shaking his head as if to knock her away. She reels back as if struck by a heavy blow.

“Sorry, I uh, wow, that was” Maya laughs, looking down at her own hands with bemusement “Okay, Yeah. Wow” Rhys glares up at her, his powers are there, simmering, but he feels no urge to use them and they apparently feel no urge to use him, but its comforting in a way, to have them within reach. He doubts he'd have the strength or the knowledge to even consider taking on Maya and winning, but he feels as if he has some degree of power here; alone, unmasked, one armed, severely underdressed with a deactivated ECHOeye.

“We uh” Maya looks back over her shoulder into the hallway, seemingly scowling at something out of sight “Well. Angel needs an omega around”

Rhys narrows his eyes, because that whole alpha+omega = best for child welfare? Well and truly debunked.

“What I mean is” Maya continues, “It's all alphas at the top up here, I thought that having an omega around might, temper down some of her uh, tendencies” Maya drifts off, wincing slightly at her own words.

Rhys can't help but bristle, getting to the top of Hyperion is a dream – a high and lofty, goal but one close to his heart none the less – and he knows the odds are stacked against him as an omega. He knows that the executives are almost exclusively alphas, that the few betas are definitely probably AB+ but it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

“So why not get a pheromone diffuser” He says sharply, and there is part of him that wants to drop down – stay calm quiet, get out alive, but quite frankly he is also incredibly insulted.

“Look” Maya says, her voice beginning to give way to a growl that has Rhys' hackles rising “I didn't plan for _you”_ She snarling now “But here you are, so lets make the best of this”

“And what exactly is that?!” Rhys says, gesturing between them “I'm a _code monkey_ – I have zero childcare experience, I'm not even a proper janitor – I don't know what you expect from me”

Maya seems to deflate slightly, pinching the bridge of her nose “Its...not ideal, but you do realise there is no way of walking away from this now. Not now we – he – knows what you are”

And Rhys feels himself go still, a sudden lump in his throat. “So what do you want from me” He says dully, all fight seemingly drawn out from him in an instant.

“What I want” Handsome Jack drawls from somewhere behind Maya “Is what's best for Angel, and if Maya says you'll be good for her – well, that's what your gonna be cupcake”


	2. Step by Step

Rhys stops hesitantly at the edge of the room, Jack is sprawled on the large sofa, glass in hand carelessly tilted, the dark amber close to the lip. His eyebrows are furrowed, jaw tense. He doesn't seem angry, although Jack is always somewhere close to anger.

“Gonna keep hovering there, princess?” He tips is neck, teeth flashing in a sharp grin “I know, I know, the view is incredible, but quit skulking around – c'mon and enjoy this masterpiece up close” There's a hint of a challenge in his voice, daring Rhys to do what he isn't exactly sure of.

There's no obvious warning signs that Jack is annoyed, that Rhys can tell, and as far as he is aware things have been relatively quiet on Helios these past few days. He keeps his sigh to himself, its worse then. Jack is bored.

He trots forward obediently enough, Jacks eyes locked on to him, he hesitates when he reaches Jacks side before sitting down, he twists the hem of his loose t-shirt with his flesh hand, metal one between them.

Jack turns himself around, sipping at the drink. “Long day?”

Rhys clears his throat more to give himself time to link up his thoughts while trying to predict Jacks. “Usual” He says, looking away from Jacks gaze to look out in to the view of space before him; beautiful and terrifying, “We had, um, lessons in the morning and then Angel was with Benny fo-”

“ _Benny?”_ Jack snorts “Who the fuck is Benny?” and there is a hint of a growl to his voice.

“Benedict Aberforth – his mother is the lead down in Rec – Samantha? You cleared them, Jack” Rhys tries to hide the irritation in his voice. No one, but no one comes anywhere near Angel with out being thoroughly vetted.

Jack hums softly, nodding “Yeah, yeah, socialisation” he sneers “as if my baby girl would ever want for anything.”

“It is good for development” Rhys picks himself up, ready to argue over this even in the face of Jacks hard to determine mood.

“Blah” Jack slouches back on the sofa, pressing an hand over his eye and finishing the drink in a quick gulp “Spare me, I know, I know” He exhales loudly and dramatically “Ab-er-forrrrth” He hums out slowly “Yeah, don't see her getting fired any time soon – actually seems to be running things pretty well down there” Rhys really wished that Jack wouldn't sound so damn...petulant about it.

There is a silence for a while, not one that's tense but its not an entirely comfortable one either. Rhys might be coming to terms with this arrangement of theirs but Jack is...well, Jack is Handsome Jack. And yes, Rhys can admit that some of his previous...admiration, may have been somewhat tempered down by now - but Jack has entire worlds across the universe in his grasp.

“Hey, hey, c'mere” Jack says softly, glass carelessly thrown to land on the lush rug below, it barely makes a sound, Rhys looks at it rather than Jack as he's manhandled around, to lean back against Jacks chest. This is newer, this touching. It never quite crosses any particular line but Rhys isn't stupid enough to think that there is a line anywhere, for anything in Jacks mind.

But he relaxes, both out of instinct and growing trust. Tips his head and lets Jack scent at the side of his neck. Jacks arms slide around him fingers drawing abstract patterns on his stomach, Rhys wishes that he'd worn something a little less thin as Jacks touch seems to burn through him.

“And what about you, cupcake, hmm? What did you get up to?” Rhys waits a for a moment unsure if Jack actually wants answer “Didya miss me?” or is just pretending that this is a conversation “Hmm?” Jack murmurs into the shell of his ear, Rhys can't help the shiver that runs through him. He can feel Jacks soft chuff of amusement. Jacks fingers now lazily running up and down the metal casing of his arm. Its a muted sensation but it's there – it's all Jack.

“I...I uh” words trip over themselves “Angel and I – we”

“Shh, I know, I know you take good care of my girl don't you, Rhysie” Jacks voice is deep and proud, and something in Rhys preens. Despite the fact that he never wanted this to happen, took incredibly dangerous steps to ensure that he that it didn't – here he is after all – barefoot in a rich Alphas lap with a child at his apron strings. He wriggles his toes in the rug, frowning slightly. He is smart and intelligent enough to get to where he was before well, before a lot of things happened. He feels like he's disappointing himself, his mother, their – his – dreams.

Jack seems content to just sit there, tracing over Rhys with heated brushes of his hands and tingling trails of his finger across cloth, metal and skin. Rhys breaths in deeply, settles in more comfortably and reaches in and then out.

It gets easier and easier by the day to use that part of himself, to reach others and slip threads of content and peace in around them. Jack hums softly, a pleased purr in the back of his throat. “Damn, you are something else” He smiles against Rhys neck. Jacks hurt and anger goes far beyond what Rhys can reach, he doubts anyone can heal the wounds that Jack holds so close and he doesn't dare to try, instead just further softening the edges, bringing them both to a gentle lull.

“Its late” Jack says “You should head off to bed” Rhys wants to argue that it isn't exactly late – he has spent later hours than this toiling away down in his dull little cubicle. But Jack is nudging him upwards, and Rhys allows himself to be led, there is an odd misstep between them as they separate. Rhys has a hand on the panel of his door entry, Jack is watching.

“Night” He says

“Yeah, night doll” Jack winks and then “sweet dreams” with a leer.

Rhys doesn't respond with more than a upward quirk of his lips and rolls his eyes when he turns away from Jack and steps into his room. The door slides shut and he leans against it for a moment. He feels safe, content and sleepy. He's aware that he's pretty much drugged himself, and as he goes about the business of disconnecting his arm and preparing for bed he reminds himself – again – to look into how he can affect others with his powers without them affecting himself.

It would be nice, he thinks, as he turns himself around, adjusting pillows and covers just right, to have the upper hand in at least one part of his life. He doesn't complain that sleep comes so easily though.

Jack is gone in the morning, although Rhys cant be sure if he even went to bed – the doors to Jacks bedroom and office are locked and strictly off limits. He runs his hand through his hair, as the artificial lights rise in a poor mockery of actual sunlight. He wonders idly, as he starts getting things ready for Angel rising if Jack would allow a trip planet-side – not Pandora, no he feels uneasy even at the mere thought of it.

“Rhys?” Angels voice breaks through his thoughts and he turns; smile already on his face and not even remotely fake. Rhys never figured he'd be particularly paternal, had always viewed children as something that happened to someone else, and an abstract possibility in the shadow of his career goals. Finding himself providing care and nurture for a unknown five year old was quite the curveball but no real difficulty.

“Morning sunshine” He says and she returns his smile hesitantly, before joining him at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, she's stopped acting as if he's going to vanish in the blink of an eye. She does seem settled, and although Rhys has nothing to compare it to before, he thinks that the lack of robot parts speak volumes about his benefit to her. Plus, if Jack thought he wasn't doing any good he'd have heard about it. He lets his hands run through her hair, a disarray in the morning that he'll get around to fixing after breakfast and before they start on with the day ahead.

“Did you enjoy yesterday?” He keeps is voice calm, wanting to know what Angel thinks and not what she thinks he wants to hear.

“Yeah!” She chirps, legs swinging from the stool as she leans her head on the palm of one of her hands, the other already gesturing mid air as she excitedly retells him all about it. She is in the middle of explaining a complicated game that she and Ben – Not Benny, apparently that was a name for babies – had invented centred around from what Rhys could tell skags and stalkers.

He makes the right noises in the right places, carefully filing away all the information and questions – can stalkers do this? Would a skag be able to do that? Agreeing that they can find out from the ECHOnet later. Already he's running a search through his eye for an appropriate documentary.

Breakfast nearly finished and Angel still animated about how Ben – a skag, but not, a real skag, a pretend one – and her stalker had to hide away from the bandits. When a low, amused voice interrupts

“Bandits, skags and stalkers, oh my” Jack lumbers out from his office, stealing Rhys's coffee cup out of his hands and plopping down to help himself to the remainders of breakfast still sitting out on the table. “Just what have you been teaching my baby girl, kitten?”

Angel is delighted with Jacks appearance, and clambers over towards him, “It's a game daddy! Me and Ben made it up”

“Yeah” Jack says, clearly interested although he pulls a face at Rhys after downing the remainder of his coffee “Blegh, ugh no, no” Rhys is already turning around with the coffee made the way Jack prefers, “Yessss” Jack makes grabbing motions with his hands still managing to pay attention to Angel, letting her get settled into his lap as she starts retelling the story although Rhys doesn't quite remember the skag being quite so cowardly and the stalker so brave before.

Rhys manages to get Angel off in the direction of her room to get washed up and changed before turning to consider Jack who is looking remarkably pleased with himself about something.

“I thought you'd gone to work already” Rhys says, reaching to clear the empty plates, a large warm hand wraps around his wrist.

“Nah, decided to have a day off” He grins, tugging Rhys closer towards him. “Perks of being the boss”

Rhys twists out of Jacks reach “Lucky for you” He says, leaving the plates, and leaning against a counter top.

“Yeep” Jack says, stretching up, so that his shirt rides up and shows off a glimpse of the firm muscles of his stomach “Its good to be king, baby – luckily those dumb dumbs downstairs are for once, ya know, not making a complete an utter ratches ear out of everything so” Jack leans forwards “Me an my baby girl are going to have some fun!” His hand covers Rhys is shoulder and he leans in close – almost too close - “So you, cupcake, can do....well, whatever it is you do”

Rhys clenches his jaw tightly, its a Wednesday, all his friends...well okay, Vaughn will be working. Although, he might be able to get back into his own apartment for a brief while, so he nods, tightly, again stepping away and out of Jacks space.

“Say thank you ~” Jack sings at his back, Rhys stiffens, what lingering feelings of peacefulness from last night are well and truly gone.

“Thank you, Jack” He says, eyes downwards before he backs into his room and lets the door slide closed. He sits on the edge of his bed, silently fuming about what he's not quite sure – Jack being well, Jack mostly. He takes a deep breath, before standing and marching towards his bathroom with determination.

A day off on Helios is not to be squandered he reminds himself, he'll meet Vaughn for lunch, get some things, do – well, something.

-

He takes his time getting ready, although his wardrobe is limited – he slips on the expensive black slacks, a loose long sleeved shirt in teal, and tugs on a black Hyperion issued body-warmer, its high collar and in built protection make him feel safer. He swithers about a tie before deciding to leave it. He looks at himself in the mirror and wonders if he looks different. He doesn't think he does, if anything he looks healthier.

He cautiously creeps out of his room, the apartment quiet, he feels a twinge of guilt about not saying goodbye to Angel, but he'll see her again later. He steps out of the penthouse and into the elevator, startling as a large man in a dark suit seems to materialise out of nowhere.

He lets out an undignified sound, hand fluttering up towards his chest before he makes the connection. “Liam!” He exclaims “Sorry, I uh, jeez, hah, you move quiet for a big guy don't you”

Liamslips twitch in what might have been a smile “Handsome Jack wants you kept safe, Sir.” he says in a dry tone, quirking an eyebrow at Rhys who takes a deep breath in before nodding

“Of course, he does. Right well....”

The elevator ride down is awkwardly silent.

“I uh, don't have very specific plans” He says, toying with the cuff of his shirt

“Hn,” Liam replies.

“Meeting a friend later, about one o'clock at the hub” He says.

“Name?” Liam says, studying an ECHO that he's slipped out of his pocket, its sleek and black and Rhys itches to get his fingers on it and see what makes it different.

“Uh, Vaughn?” Rhys says, still trying to peer at the Echo that is quickly back out of his sight “Yeah, Vaughn. My rooma- uh, friend – he's in accounting”

“He's approved” Liam nods. Not adjusting his stance or tone.

“Right” Rhys says “Because – that's, that's uh, okay then”

Liam doesn't say anything and Rhys bites back a scream of frustration. Liam doesn't have a scent exactly, just a muted presence of alpha and only close like this in the elevator side by side. Sourly Rhys wonders where he gets his scent blockers from, could have been useful.

He doesn't exactly feel like he's having much of a day off, Liam trails behind him a large shadow, and he feels like he's wasting his time by just window browsing. He glances up at the clock and thanks his luck – as lacking as it has been – that its nearly time to meet Vaughn.

“Bro!” Vaughn is already at there arranged spot by the time Rhys arrives, arms wide and smile even wider.

“Dude, aw man!” Rhys says, enjoying the fierce hug, before letting go and stepping back, Vaughn tips his head and peers at Liam behind Rhys, Rhys feels heat building in his face. “That's, um, Liam, he's uh” He rubs the back of his neck “...security”

Vaughn raises an eyebrow “Handsome Jacks personal janitor needs a security guard” and yeah, Rhys knows how it sounds. Someone with a Tediore loyalty card wouldn't even have bought that story. He winces slightly, before Vaughn nods, shrugs “Okay, bro, lifestyles of the rich and famous man” and lets it slide because he is, the best bro in the universe.

Lunchtime goes far to quick, Vaughn talks away about this and that, Rhys is quite happy to pretend that nothing has changed, just causally ignoring the huge meteor that has crashed into his – and their- lives. “So uh” Vaughn leans forward, glancing a suspicious glance at Liam who seems engaged in is ECHO “you okay there bro?”

“Yeah” Rhys says, far too quickly “Its just uh, y'know new job and all” He laughs nervously.

Vaughn nods, and slides back in his chair “Hey, y'know in Aquatoras 6? the level with the mushrooms?” Rhys nods wrinkling his nose because mushrooms will never not be gross – and he's not entirely sure where Vaughn is going with this. “Where was the secret portal to the base again?

“Uhm, behind the tree in the marsh the one that kinda”

“Looks like a bent dick, damn, yeah, dunno how I forgot that” Vaughn laughs, and pulls Rhys down for another tight hug, eyes intent.

Rhys feels a surge of warmth for his friend, his best friend, because Vaughn is the one that showed him where that portal is, Rhys hears the message; Vaughn has his back, a way to escape if he needs it. Rhys will find a way to make sure Vaughn get some benefit from this, that's what Jack said, that his service wouldn't be forgotten and unrewarded.

Their time is short, Vaughn glances at time and Rhys follows his gaze with a small wince “Back to the grind?” He says and Vaughn huffs a smile

“You know it bro - But we'll catch up soon yeah? When you can bro” Vaughn says easily enough, as if it's just a particularity difficult project keeping Rhys so absent these days.

“Yeah” Rhys says voice dry “When I can”

He sits at the table for a a while, not really seeing anything, he's aware of Liams' gaze and some how it annoys him. He stands up abruptly and heads off sharply towards his old residential district. He knows Liam follows, obeying his orders – gotta make sure Rhys doesn't do anything he shouldn' - or he supposes catching the glances of some of the passers - by someone else doing something they shouldn't _to_ Rhys.

He doesn't stay long in the apartment; despite the fact that its warm, safe and packed with all of the things he and Vaughn have accumulated through college, internships and finally all ending up here, on Helios where they were going to make their dreams come true. He grabs some more clothes, a few battered echo pads that he's been designing things on. Nothing major, just little bits and pieces when the inspiration struck.

He's leaning under his bed with the pretence that its for his favoured stylus - he already has it within his reach - instead he reaches up and carefully slips the medical pack out from under the frame of his bed and tucks it into the band of his trousers, straightening up and waving the stylus at Liam who appears to be nonplussed. He acts as naturally shouldering the bag, and leaving the apartment – for now, he thinks, locking the door, it will be his home again soon.

The medical pack burns against his abdomen the entire journey, he's terrified that Liam is going to search him before letting him back into the penthouse. He must be giving off signals, because Liam for the first time looks slightly uncomfortable and after opening the door for Rhys, he bows his head slightly and tells him he'll be outside if anything is required until Handsome Jack returns.

Rhys murmurs a thank you and can barely move fast enough, he doesn't know for sure if Jack has cameras in operation in his rooms but he thinks it's likely, Rhys' is in his territory and with his child most of the time, it would make sense for him to keep watch. So he casually upends his bag, swearing as some of the things fall out, a tap of his toe and and a little yellow stylus has managed to make its way under his bed.

Slipping underneath - he's as quick as he can be, tucking the package out of the way where its hidden between the frame and the mattress. He's just wriggling his way out from under the bed, when there's a rapid fire knocking on the door, he startles and hits his head, backing out quicker before the door opens faster than he expects and the fast footsteps and even faster chatter of Angel reaches him.

“Rhys! Daddy and I – what are you doing?”

“Lost something” he says, holding up the stylus

“You aren't supposed to chew those, they could be dirty” Angel says primly, Jack leans in the doorway and grins

“Yeah, sugar, don't shove just anything into your gob, never know where it might have been” He leers, and Rhys narrows his eyes.

“I don't put just any _old_ thing into my mouth” He hisses, discarding the stylus on his bed with slightly more force than needed. He smiles down at Angel who is frowning slightly, eyes tracking back and forth between him and her father. He holds out his hand to her and she takes it in an instant, nose pressed against his wrist, breath hot on his palm, he rubs his other hand on the side of her face.

“Why don't you and I go through to your room and organise the toys from yesterday that I'm sure you didn't pick back up and you can tell me about the day” He says softly, pushing safe and calm at her, she beams up at him.

“I forgot” She says with a smile “but you'll help me?”

“Of course” He says and leads her away, past Jack who is quiet and watching intently “That's what I'm here for” he says, tone gentle for her, but he glares at a Jack a completely different tone meant for him. Jacks eyes darken and Rhys swallows, hurrying away with Angel who has already launched into an eventful tale that Rhys half-hopes is exaggerated because he really doesn't want to hear the words ratches and reincarnation in the same sentence.

The rest of the evening passes into what Rhys is coming to terms with as normality, he even manages to get Angels hair brushed before bed, in a loose and clumsy plait that probably wont hold until morning but its the best he can do. They go through the meditations that Maya had left for him, even though Jack is dubious about them but Rhys feels its working, or at least in his case anyway.

He leaves Angels room once her breathing has evened out, soft toy clutched tight to her chest after watching to make sure no nightmares are surfacing, Jack had disappeared earlier, hadn't returned for dinner either which wasn't unexpected. Rhys allows himself time to potter around, tidying up bits and pieces of their evenings activities, Angel had drawn a particularity vicious looking stalker, albeit quite pink and glittery.

When he finally returns to his room, he half heartedly scoops the contents of the bag back into it and tosses it in the back of the closet – a task for tomorrow - and goes through the motions of getting ready for bed even though the clock says its half eight. And then he just lets himself sit on the bed, frowning down at the soft thick rug under his feet, watching his toes curl and uncurl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> life in lockdown can get pretty hectic who knew! comments and critisim welcome :) thank you for reading <3


	3. Toe on the line

Rhys is sprawled out on his bed, idly scrolling through the not-so-secret gossip forums keeping up-to-date with the rumour mill, sorting out fact from fiction and adding it to his ever growing database of what is what and who is who. There's a swift knock at his door before it slides open and Jack just casually lets himself in. “Hey, there cupcake” Jack says, grin sharp and Rhys can scent a hint of blood in the air, its not Jacks he can identify that much at least. Jack looks around the room with disinterest before resting his gaze back on Rhys, who quickly closes up his palm and shuts down the ECHOnet forums he was browsing, and settles onto his side, watching warily as Jack paces forward.

“Are you – did something happen?” Rhys asks, sitting up, Jack shrugs with one shoulder

“Nah, just some minor excitement downstairs” Jack waves a hand in the air dismissively “Nothing to worry about”

Rhys nods slowly “Did you, uh, want something?” He tries to keep his voice calm and casual but he doesn't really succeed, Jack smirks at him, sitting himself down on the edge of Rhys' bed, something dangerous seems to hover between them, Rhys isn't sure where Jack has just come back from, but something has got the alphas blood up.

“Nah, sugar, just checking in” His hand is suddenly on Rhys' ankle, warm and solid. Rhys can feel his heart beat speed up, he doesn't move – doesn't breath – for what seems like too long before Jack squeezes then releases his ankle, Rhys can still feel his grip.

“Been wonderin' is all,” Jacks says slowly “How just when I'm starting to agree that yeah, Angel could do with an omega around – up you pop and with siren abilities no less”

There is a thick lump in Rhys' throat “I – I don't”

“Shh. Just thinking out loud”

“Jack, it was a coincidence, Maya just asked for an omega, nobody knew I was a siren” Rhys says, because he has to reign this in, this is a dangerous place to be “Jack, I'm here for Angel – you said that -”

“I know what I said” Jack growls, pushing back away from Rhys but watching him with blistering eyes “And yeah, you are here, for Angel, but don't you ever forget cupcake” He spits, and leans closer voice dropping to a low hiss that has the hairs on Rhys' neck stand up on edge “Everything here is mine, this is my kingdom, my empire”

Rhys feels his throat go dry, a swell of panic rising in his chest. Jack is a threat, Rhys is no idiot and he cannot let himself forget that - but he is also a known threat and Angel is a shield between them both. He won't hurt Rhys in anyway that night hurt her.

“I know, Jack, sorry, ” He says, the words barely makes it out past his suddenly shivering chest, doesn't even know what or why he's apologising just knows that Jack is on the verge of something. Just what the hell happened downstairs?

“No need to apologise kitten” Jack moves back into his space, all calm and pleasant “just need to remember what's what, right?”, his hand is wide and warm at the back of his neck, pulling him towards his chest, Rhys tries to unwind, to relax. “You behave, take care of my girl” His hand trails down to clasp at Rhys's shoulder “..that's all you have to do kitten, play your part and at the end I promise you, you won't regret it.”

Rhys doesn't trust himself to speak, nods against Jacks chest, and feels the brush of his lips against the top of his head. Angel will be eighteen in thirteen years, the hypos under his bed will only last another three. He shivers, and wonders just how long Jack's promise of safety can last.

The scent of alpha, of Jack is all over his room and bed now, he'd stayed for sometime after their 'talk' holding Rhys against his chest, invading everywhere with his presence. Marking his territory. He's going to have to work hard to gain Jacks trust, and that means swallowing his pride. He's gotten good at that, placating his superiors, weaving through the politics of the corporate ladder, he may not have any time away from his performance here, but he can set goals, small ones, start from there and work his way up.

Maya has taken Angel out for the day, Rhys doesn't ask where or why and he doubts Maya would offer an answer anyway, he's not entirely she pities him or is annoyed by him. He hasn't had many encounters with sirens, she's the only one he's ever met face to face, but there is something about her that sets his teeth on edge when he watches her, as if she's a threat. She smiles at him as if she knows that she is.

Angel adores her, for all that Jack is her father, there is a kindness and a gentleness to Angel, more than Jack probably could contain in one fingernail. The door to the penthouse remains shut, and Rhys doesn't attempt to leave. A part of him is still shaken by the night before.

He stares listlessly out of the window into the deep dark expanse of space before him, he has to start planning. He knows that Angel is starting to bond to him, his scent is starting to muddle in with hers and Jacks, he knows its biology at work, knows that is all about evolution and survivability, that she is protected by both an adult alpha and omega, and he can feel it starting to affect him too, a pull of protectiveness, a need that he's unfamiliar with and makes him uncomfortable. Angel he can deal with, Jack on the other hand...

Rhys isn't sure what Jack is angling for, he hasn't pushed for anything overtly sexual all hints and innuendos, touches and gazes that linger just too long. He half remembers a beta that Vaughn had dated back in college, she had taken some sort of sociology module on endotypes and would not shut up about it, Rhys had to listen to one two many conversations about how ridiculously the persistent bias about omegas was, and since he was to all appearances a beta, he nodded along because of course how could he possibly understand. But he does remember lazily reading over one of her lecture notes, taking a break from his own tedious work.

About omegas who had taken control through their alphas. He may not be that experienced with his powers as an omega siren – the scant material he can find on the ECHOnet that isn't straight up disturbing pornography isn't much use. And what he knows about being an omega, well, that too is limited but its the only card he holds.

Alphas have weaknesses, one of Jacks is Angel but he's not going to stoop so low as to use her. He knows that Jack seeks out his touch, his scent – that Rhys can calm and sooth him, he needs to be cautious, too hard and Jack will see right through it, but he's going to take tentative steps. He can play to his stereotypes, keep himself safe and protected – perhaps even advance his professional career.

He straightens up, trying not to get a head of himself but he knows he's good at what he does – he has ideas that are good, can be put to use. He just needs to get Jack onside, He waits a long time, plans forming in his mind, possibilities and probabilities all mixing and melding.

Angel returns, sleepy and exhausted from what ever training it is her and Maya do, its not too much trouble to coax her through dinner and into a bath and then bed. He is startled when he comes out and Maya is still there, arms folded across her chest, she watches him. “I got you something” She says, voice bored and flicks a hand towards the living area, where a small tattered book sits innocuously on the large dark coffee table.

“Thank you” He says warily

“You're welcome” She smirks, and then pauses as if she is going to stay something else, before seemingly deciding not to. She pushes away from the wall she's leaning on, tilts her head to the side and looks at him silently for a moment.

“For what its worth, I'm sorry, but Angel needed someone like you” She doesn't sound sorry, not in the slightest.

Rhys smiles, showing a slight hint of fang “And there was no one else was there?”

“No” She says flatly. “You know how rare we are” and he's oddly confused as to where this we has came from, as far as he can gather Maya and other alpha sirens like her to not consider omega sirens to be anywhere within the same league – no one really does. “Angel has power...a lot of it, more than I've ever seen or heard of in a siren”

And Rhys is taken aback, by her honesty, he knows Angel is special, that the manifestation of her powers like this so strong and early are rare. He doesn't respond though, waits to see if Maya will give away any more information but instead she just huffs in annoyance, stepping away from Rhys and heading towards the doorway “Read the damn book, Rhys.” And with that she's gone.

The cover of the book is faded, edges tattered and he can barely make out the title, when he traces his fingers over it however, he feels a tingle of warmth, its odd, the book feels like its his. He sits in his bedroom for a while, book in hands he doesn't open it to start to read, he doesn't feel like its the right time somehow. He places it on the cabinet beside his bed with a reverence that he can't quite understand.

Instead he stands and surveys himself critically in the mirror, he's always played a fine balance between looking fragile without looking weak, so that people underestimate or give him more allowances. He doesn't want to push it too far, so he sticks to the casual clothes he usually wears to bed, loose fitting t-shirt, that he tugs slightly to show off the tattoos on the side of his neck, without the blending film they shimmer slightly around the edges along his arm and across his torso. The shorts he wears are tighter than usual, they are old and well worn but they are comfortable. A large yellow H emblazoned on the side, visible even though it has faded from time. He messes with his hair, trying to perfectly nail that rumpled just out of bed look.

He sighs at his reflection and when he hears the front door and Jack entering he almost dives back towards his bed, to hide away. But he pushes that feeling down, tiptoeing out of his room, and instantly regrets leaving.

Jack is furious, Rhys can taste in the air from where he stands, he glances towards Angels door, concerned, Jack notices his glance and scowls deeper. In quick long steps he's by his side, and clamping a hand down on his shoulder, and leading him towards his office. Jack lets go off him as soon as they cross the threshold and the door slides shut, the room must be soundproofed from the stillness of the room. Jack all but throws himself into his chair, sprawling his legs out, and staring at something just over Rhys' shoulder, he fights the urge to look behind himself knowing there's only a wall there.

“You're old department...” Jack says voice deceptively calm.

“....Sanitation sir?”

“No, not fucking sanitation” Jack snaps, running a hand roughly though his hair.

“Propaganda” Rhys answers, wary of Jacks mood. Jack nods, flipping the screen of his desk on with a rushed gesture, a list of names start to appear, and next to them numbers that don't make sense. He's looking at some sort of report he can gather, internal evaluation perhaps?

“Something seem off about this to ya?” Jack turns to face him, face carefully blank.

Rhys nods, stepping forward and when Jack makes no move to stop him, investigates through the numbers more clearly. Vasquez, he knows, will be using his new found position to push up his lackeys and get rid of those that he deems a threat.

“Pull up a chair, kiddo” Jack says, leaning backwards in his own to stare up at the ceiling. “Was wondering how something like you ended up shovelling the shit, guessed you pissed of the wrong guy on the way up, but then I started having a closer look, and y'know I like a bit of ambition, bit of competition keeps things lively. But this shit” He jabs a finger at the screen, scowling “This shit is messing up other stuff, you with me cupcake?” Rhys nods, scanning through he names, he's disappointed to see that one of his cubicle mates has gone – hopefully reassigned and not spaced, Keith was a good guy, Peterson on the other hand, who has slunk up behind Vasquez, well that guy is a piece of shit, Rhys is kinda surprised that the knot-head hasn't been disposed off yet.

“I want you to go through these, you know these guys; tell me what's what”

Rhys doesn't respond for a moment, hands paused over the screen, he glances at Jack out of the side of his eye, Jack isn't looking at him, still scowling off into the distance. He has an opportunity here, he can get rid of Hugo and his little friends, and he can justify it. The thought makes him positively gleeful. “This doesn't interfere with Angel” Jack warns, and Rhys is already shaking his head

“No, it shouldn't take too long, but I won't' – I uh, I'll do it when she's not here, or asleep, it won't interfere. I promise.” He's firm in his tone, and Jack gives a brittle smile, slouching even further, that Rhys is surprised he doesn't slide off the chair completely. Even physics can't tell Handsome Jack what to do. He's still agitated, and Rhys doesn't know if he wants him to use his powers or not, to relax him, he reaches out a hand before pulling it back

“Do you uh,” he fumbles for the right words

“Not tonight kiddo, you can do this tomorrow” he gestures to the list “I'll send it over to you later”

That hadn't been what Rhys meant, and he's sure that Jack knows it.

He steps back, trying to remain calm but he's pleased, it's nothing major but it's something. He murmurs a goodnight that just gets him a dismissive flick of Jacks hand as he turns back to his desk, already working on something else. He absolutely doesn't skip back to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, comments welcomed - worshiped even :)


	4. Chapter 4

“Ever thought about having kids?”

Jacks words, more than the sound of his voice freeze Rhys in place. Jack is staring out of the window, not at Rhys, and his voice is more contemplative than anything else, Rhys swallows “Not really, I mean maybe, adoption or something” He scratches at the back of his neck - he knows that Jack will have read his files, probably knows more about Rhys than Rhys does – on paper at least. Rhys is well aware that his infertility is listed; it's half the reason he was able to get the cybernetic enhancements without actually being in need of new limbs. As an unbounded, infertile omega there wasn't much risk to the cost-effectiveness of his operations. Jack doesn't say anything for a while, and Rhys slowly relaxes back into the couch, mindful of Angel curled up against his side.

Angel has been clingy of late, Maya has been gone for a few days now – on some sort of mission for Jack – which means she has latched onto Rhys with a fierce determination, he's only just managed to get her to settle down, but she wanted to stay up with them and Rhys didn't want to argue - Jack didn't offer an opinion, so she'd dozed off curled up at his side after staying up far longer than usual.

Its a pleasant calm, Rhys is pondering how to get her up without waking her and into her bed, he can take most of her weight on his flesh arm, doesn't want to cold metal to startle her, when Jack appears, “I got her” he says, crouching down to scoop Angel up in his arms, she makes a soft sleepy sound at being dislodged from her place but otherwise doesn't stir. “She's getting big” Jack says, voice fond, and he's smiling at her softly.

“They do that” Rhys says not quite wanting to break this calm “Grow up”

“Yeah, just...seems so fast” Jack adjusts Angel in his arms, and somehow caught in the wake Rhys follows as he takes her into her room, he helps pull back the sheets as Jack gets her settled, and something in him feels pleased by the domestic feel to it all. Jack stares at her fondly “I love you” he whispers to her softly, running a hand over the top of her head and Rhys backs quietly out of the room, not wanting to break this fragile moment of peace.

He bites uncertainly at his lower lip; if Jack does want more kids, where does that leave Rhys? There's never been even a rumour of Angels carrier, its a subject that's never even whispered around Helios, if Jack has another omega...His eyes flick to his bedside cabinet as soon as he enters his room, focused on the book. Jack may very well easily find an omega, but he sure as hell wont be able to find another one with _siren_ powers.

He's not even a page in and his head begins to hurt; there's a pressure behind his flesh eye that he can't ignore, frustrated he closes the books and groans; he can see the words written there, he knows the words written there but they fog up in his brain, melting away when ever he thinks he comes close to deciphering. Maya, he decides, is a cryptic bitch. He blinks several times, huffing slightly and frowning at the text, he's been at it for ages and still nothing will stay still, flicking through the rest of the book reveals much of the same, and not a single word will reveal its self. It's infuriating, Rhys has never met something he couldn't decode or make sense of after at least a little while.

He allows himself to fall back on to his bed with a sigh, drumming the fingers of his flesh hand against his ribs, so he clearly isn't going to get started into the instruction manual to himself tonight. He rolls onto his stomach and briefly entertains the notion of never ever getting up again. Just noping away to the world, goodbye life, goodbye responsibility, goodbye aspirations and ugh...Nope. Mama Strongfork didn't raise no quitter. Rhys was going to do great things, he was just...taking a little detour on his way to these great things.

Morning greats him with a stiffness in his shoulder from where he'd awkwardly fallen asleep with his cybernetic arm attached, which means he's going to be uncomfortable and sore. He loves his arm, its one of the better decisions his made, but he also could do with a newer one. He knows the newer models are apparently lighter and have much greater sensitivity. Blearily making his way towards the bathroom to get ready he starts running over today's schedule; Angel has a play-date, one of the newer executives has a girl around her age and is probably just trying to worm his way Jacks good graces, but, Angel needs to know people her own age, have an actual childhood.

The executive in questions is at work for the day, which isn't quite as surprising, his wife, a small beta, is soft and sweet, and utterly _dull_. Rhys makes small talk, and actually finds out a lot of information this way, not much that he can use himself but its nice to keep track. Angel seems to get on well with the girl, there is a lot of whispering and giggling going on.

Angel doesn't want to leave when its time to, of course, and its the closest they come to her having a tantrum, Rhys is quick to scoop her up, and well, not quite run for the door but its a near thing when he feels her power begin to bristle. The elevator is empty – thank goodness – and she sits down on the floor with a sad expression, Rhys sighs and folds his legs under him at her side. The guard who has been trailing them today – and its really hard to keep them all apart in his head so he doesn't know this ones name – is standing facing the door with an awkward stiffness to his shoulders of someone who is decidedly not listening.

“Hey, Angel” He starts, a wobbly lip and a loud sniff are the only response he gets as she scowls at her knees. “You okay there?” He can feel her power, simmering, but she's not actually close to using it – or not at least as he can tell, it's not hard to slip his own powers around her, calming balms of green, and she growls slightly so he pulls back, he doesn't want to change how she feels, he just can't quite untangle this mess of sad-and-angry that she has become.

“I don't want to go” She says finally, resolutely at her knees.

“I know Angel, but you can always see your friend -”

“ _No._ I don't want to go, I don't want Maya to go, I don't want you to go” She says tears spilling over onto red cheeks, lips trembling she wipes her nose on her knees and then while Rhys is still trying to process the feedback lunges herself at him.

He nearly rocks onto his back, but stables himself with his cybernetic hand, easily catching both their weights. His flesh arm is already around her, hand at the back of her head, as she buries her face into his neck. Rhys does not know what to do. He shares a panicked look upwards at the guard, who seems frozen in place himself. Angel isn't quite sobbing, but its a close thing, Rhys awkwardly struggles to gather them both upright, lifting her easily with one arm as she clings tightly to him. “I don't want Daddy to go” She says, almost too quietly for him to hear if it wasn't for the fact that her lips are against his neck.

“No one” He swallows, a little bit shaken by the sheer amount of fear that she's feeling and projecting “No ones leaving you, Angel” There's nothing but a small broken cry into his neck and thankfully the elevator slows to a stop at the penthouse. He's quick to disembark, mostly ignoring the guard at his back as he lets himself and Angel into the apartment.

It takes a while for her to calm down, to relax the tight grip she has on him, it takes not more of his power, but a little bit more finesse, to weave gentle strands of green and blue around fiery red and purple to soothe her down. Them both down, if he's honest, the feedback off of Angel is something fierce.

He holds her and makes what he hopes are soothing sounds, half remembered lullabies from when he was a lot younger. He wonders what has caused this, maybe Maya's absence? Rhys brushes back her hair from her sweaty brow

“Angel” He prompts “Angel, no ones leaving you – you're daddy will never leave you” He says, and feels truth slide through his words, he's seen Jack with Angel, he knows he loves his daughter, there's no way he'd leave her.

Angel just sits on his lap and looks forlorn, and Rhys is at a loss, he scrambles to think of what can make this better, she's calmer, there's no frantic edge or sharpness in the air, but she's still so sad and Rhys can't think of a way to make it stop.

“Sometimes after I sleep, daddy leaves me in a cold room” Angels voice is soft, but echo so loud, she's leaning against Rhys, gazing out at nothing, it sends a shiver of fear through him.

“That's a bad dream, Angel” Rhys says “Just a bad dream”

She squirms against him, lip trembling “I know, but its so cold, and he goes and its dark and” Surprisingly strong little fists are buried into the collar of his shirt, he can feel the tension radiate off of her like a physical creature, her feelings almost thick in the air “He says I love you but he goes away and -” She hiccups against him, words lost to a sad high whine.

Rhys feels like he doesn't have enough arms for this – that he never did, and no one ever could - but he wants to shelter her away from the fear that is chocking the air around them, he doesn't know what to do with something like this - this is a fear inside Angels own head – its not something he can just take away. So instead he tries, again, to calm her, to soothe away the pain, but it feels like swimming against the tide of an ocean.

It takes time, what feels like a long, long time, for the two of them to gather back together, Angel is still despondent, so Rhys doesn't even argue about proper dinner, content just to get her to eat and drink something, she clings and whines - its a struggle to get her into bed,hair still damp and he suspects her pyjama top is on backwards. She doesn't let go, despite his assurances that it is just a nightmare, that yes of course he will stay. So he ends up sitting with her curled into his side, fingers twisted into his shirt, he cards his fingers through her hair, and murmurs placating words.

He had been planning on dealing with the work Jack had given him to do later, but he feels restless. He sighs and tips his head back against the wall. Still uncomfortable with the idea of leaving Angel, he accesses his palm and starts looking through the logs he's been sent. It takes a while for him to balance it out, he's never seen one of these sort of data-sheets from this end, usually involved with the lower end of the process, but numbers are numbers and he knows how they should go, and it isn't in patterns like _this._ His lips quirk up, Vasquez is definitely playing with fire here, just little streams here and there but there's enough missing hours and money that when put all together...

He is putting it all together when he wonders idly, if there's more to this, Vasquez is clearly up to something and he has the evidence for Jack that certainly points in that direction, but, he licks his lips carefully, considering. If he could find out what it is Vasquez is doing, and where and why...Well, it proves that Rhys is capable of more.


	5. Chapter 5

So far the plan isn't going so great, it's not much of a plan which right off the bat is a bad thing, but ingenuity and inventiveness! Catch Vasquez with his pants down – hopefully not literally – prove to Jack that Rhys is more than a glorified child taker, which, actually, he should probably be doing a better job of if the scowl he's getting across the breakfast bar is any indication. Angel is in a _Mood_ and it's disturbingly like a tiny little Jack in a snit, except Angel _is_ five. 

The previous weeks never-leave-me-alone clinginess has gone down a bit, Maya is due back soon and Rhys has been able to slowly reintroduce cleaning-bots back into the penthouse. So he's inclined to let her have this.

“Fine” He says, lifting his hands up in surrender “We can have lunch for breakfast and pancakes for lunch”

She gives him triumphant look, and Rhys knows they are going to have this conversation again at dinner time, but he's  _probably_ not going to let her have desert for dinner. Jack has decided to take himself and Angel away for her birthday for a week; Rhys is apparently not needed and therefore can have the time to do 'whatever it is he does'. 

He's still some what unsure about staying in the penthouse by himself, but he is still paying rent for his own place with Vaughn, so he has plans to reclaim his spot on the couch there and set some new high-scores, while of course, working on the Vasquez Issue. So they can both start their holiday a little bit earlier he figures, nodding along as she lists out her demands for the day.

After waving goodbye to Angel at an unforgivable time in the morning, and finding himself with a lack of things to do, Rhys decided to be a great bro, and get Vaughn breakfast. It didn't occur to him until after, that perhaps he should have maybe given his best bro a _little_ bit of a heads up before appearing. In his own defence, he was still on the lease and Vaughn didn't used to wonder around completely naked before hand.

It doesn't take long for them to get over the awkward morning encounter, Vaughn does have work because Rhys couldn't say anything before about his impromptu vacation time. He thinks that one of the doubles is standing in, and that as far as Helios is aware Handsome Jack could still appear around from any corner, but he can trust Vaughn.

Vaughn, is best bro in the whole wild world, who mouth filled with breakfast bagel nods along with what Rhys is saying, because he is the best supportive - “You know this plan is terrible right?” - friend who believes in him. Rhys purses his lips together, before trying on a winning smile

“Vaughn, it's just data gathering, closer from the source”

“So, what you're just going to lurk around your old office and hope to over hear something incriminating?” Vaughn deadpans “Bro, I gotta say, that only happens on ECHOkidsECHOkids net programmes”

Rhys sits back in his chair with a huff “Any better suggestions?”

Vaughn thinks for a while, slowly chewing before shaking his head “Nope, but you're like practically untouchable right?”

Rhys frowns “I wouldn't say - “

“Look, bro, no one believes that Handsome Jack needs his own personal janitor” Rhys can feel his face flush “I mean, no ones going to question it because” Vaughn snorts “Who would right? But...”

“But what?”

“Well, everyone thinks that uh...” Vaughn looks uncomfortably around and shifts slightly “Um, he's taken a _liking_ to your...company” He finally says in a rush, still looking down at the crumbs left on his plate, the tops of his ears turning red.

“He...oh. _Oh!_ ” Rhys blinks. And then blinks again because...well, maybe he should have seen that one coming. There is silence while Rhys mulls this over and Vaughn finishes the rest of the coffee. “I uh, suppose, that it could look that way?” Rhys says, and Vaughn responds with a single raised eyebrow.

Rhys scowls, trying not to flush “I don't – that isn't even...” He groans and buries his head in his arms. Vaughn pats him on the head as he goes past.

“I mean, _I know_ you aren't, and _I know_ you'd never be so petty as to flaunt your non-status in a old rivals face right?” He calls over his shoulder.

Rhys doesn't even dignify that with a response.

He goes with Vaughn to his department and waves him off with plans for lunch with Yvette later, before making his own slow way towards his old department. He still hasn't got an exact idea of how this is going to play out, but with Vaughn's words in his head he feels a little bit more secure in himself.

He sees Vasquez first, and slows down his pace, to try and avoid running into the other man quite so soon, busying himself instead with his ECHO.

“Rhys! Buddy, long time no see” Ugh, Rhys turns with a sharp smile that might be a little closer to a snarl than he's willing to admit as Vasquez approaches with a swagger. “So...here you've found your calling” He grins “Isn't that nice how everything's just worked out so well. In fact, _**I**_ managed to get another promotion, great view – one of the best here on Helios even if I say so myself”

“Is that so” Rhys says through clenched teeth

“Yep, spectacular – I don't suppose your uh, new position comes with a office” Vasquez smirks

“No, but it does have an excellent view” Rhys snaps back before he can fully think through his phrasing. Vasquez goes pale for a moment, before gathering himself back together.

“Not much of Handsome Jacks personal...mess to be cleaned up down here” Vasquez says, turning away and striding onwards, Rhys rolls his eyes at his back before following.

“No, business in requisitions – just passing by” Rhys lies

Vasquez pauses in front of his own office, running finger over the plaque with a satisfied smirk before opening the doors, Rhys glances inside – it is a nice view. Damnit.

“Huh” He says, Vasquez narrows his eyes and turns around

“What?”

“No it's just...Never mind” Rhys says, with a wide fake grin “I shouldn't have mentioned it”

“....what?” Vasquez says, looking unsettled as he glances about his office.

“Well its just” Rhys steps into Vasquez' office, looking about as if scrutinising the place “I always thought they gave higher ups, you know, higher up offices” He smiles.

“Bold opinion, Rhys, given you're 'job'” Vasquez snarls, stepping forward, Rhys steps back, leans against the desk and drums the fingers of his metal hand against the woodwork.

The ringing of Vasquezs' ECHO comm makes them both pause. He turns to answer it shooting Rhys a dark look before passing towards the window, speaking in a hushed tone. Rhys watches his back carefully, it doesn't take to long to get into the computer system at the desk, he just has to leave a couple of breadcrumbs...He barley has to run his programme for more than a second before he's disconnecting again. Vasquez doesn't seem to be saying much, and he has turned around to glare at Rhys as he smiles, waves and walks out the door, before turning around and flipping Vasquez off and sauntering down the corridor.

Hacking Vasquez is...easy disappointingly enough, the idiot has his personal ECHO synced up with his work ECHO and following the file transfers between the two is like childsplay. There has been a flurry of data packets relayed from here to Pandora...And the Pandora frequency doesn't match any Hyperion codes. He ducks into a secluded bathroom for privacy as he flicks through various spec sheets, who ever the Pandora contact is they are looking for a lot of credits and this deal is going to go down _soon_.


	6. Chapter 6

“No”

“'vette please” Rhys pleads, she remains stone faced, arms folded over her chest leaning back in her chair with clear displeasure written all over her face.

“No, Rhys.” She says again crossing one leg over the other and pushing her lips into a thin line.

“It's just - “

“Paramount to treason”

“I -”

“Almost certainly a death sentence” She carries on, eyes narrowing “I might not know exactly what is going on with you and Handsome Jack” She pauses as if Rhys might elaborate and he can only shrug helplessly “But I do know that helping you go to _Pandora_ for reasons unknown and alone would be enough to put a target on my head”

“I won't be alone - “

“No, you are dragging Vaughn into your little death trip, it's sweet how you two are so close, really, till death do you part”

Rhys feels that's a little bit unfair, he's pretty sure that this will all payout and he's more than sure that he can convince Jack not to kill them, he opens his mouth to explain this to Yvette when she once again starts lecturing him.

“And then there's the matter of you asking me to _seduce_ and _drug_ Hugo Vasquez” She hisses.

“Not seduce” Rhys says, fidgeting in his chair “I'd never ask you to do that” His nose wrinkles in disgust “Just - “ He gestures fruitlessly in the air.

“The answer is no, Rhys.” Yvette says with a note of finality.

“....Could you maybe just distract Vasquez for a small tiny amount of time?” He tries again. Yvette huffs, before sliding her chair towards him

“Read my lips, Rhys - “

“Please? It'll be worth it” He says with a smile, something flickers across her face that he can't quite read before she settles back with a sigh.

“What exactly is it you're prepared to offer me?” She says, watching him carefully. Rhys grins at her.

“Yvette, I love you” He tells her earnestly she rolls her eyes with a snort.

Although he hasn't been here for long, Rhys already _hates_ Pandora, it smells terrible and its unbearably hot, he feels like his entire skeleton is itchy. He grits his teeth and tightens his grip on the wheel of the car. Vaughn is tense beside him, clutching onto the briefcase loaded with the 'borrowed' cash.

“This is a terrible, terrible idea” Vaughn says. “How did you even get Yvette -”

“It's – look, bro, trust me” Rhys turns to give Vaughn a wide grin - going for reassuring - from the scowl he gets back, he doesn't think he's managed to quite carry it out. Vaughn opens his mouth, but the car hits _something_ and swerves violently. Rhys slams on the breaks, He glances at the rear-view mirror, adjusts it and swallows.

“OK, hit a skag – not an issue” He says, firmly to himself, Vaughn swallows, loudly, neither of them speak, “Lets just...uh, carry on” Rhys says, nodding and shifting the car back into gear.

“I think it had puppies” Vaughn says quietly.

Rhys grits his teeth, and glances back. Yeah, two small skag pups are nosing at the large, unmoving, probably dead adult skag in the middle of the road.

“Maybe, uh, another skag will come along and look after them” Rhys says with forced confidence, Vaughn shoots him a flat look. “I mean, we can't take them back to Helios...We'll, uh – call someone, Pandora Wildlife Rescue?”

“I don't think that's a thing...” Vaughn says, watching the skags out of the window.

“It could be” Rhys says, starting to drive away, they aren't far from the coordinates he's stolen from Vasquez, where this 'big' deal is supposed to go down. He buries his discomfort checking his reflection in the mirror. “We'll ask”.

Vaughn doesn't say anything for a moment or two, and Rhys is glad, he shifts awkwardly in the car, its a nice car – really nice, and he does feel a little bit bad for stealing it, but whatever Jack is the richest guy ever, he's always saying so. And Rhys is about to make him even richer so, he figures one car is hardly going to be an issue. He grips the wheel a little tighter. He can feel the sweat beading on his face, even with the air conditioning on high blast.

“Why would anyone choose to live here” He complains, mostly to himself.

“I don't think a lot of 'em have much choice” Vaughn says drily “And it's not so bad...”

Rhys is about to make several good – great even – points about how Pandora is that bad, when the navigator in the car pings, he glances down and notes that they are approaching their destination. He looks around, and can't see much, but slowly as they turn he makes out what can only be described as a sprawling hovel made of metal. He slows the car to a stop, and turns to look at Vaughn.

“Ready buddy?” He says brightly.

“No” Vaughn grouses, but he's unbuckling his seatbelt anyway.

The plan is simple, Rhys will be his charming self, pretend he's here on behalf of Vasquez, pick up the precious cargo and be back on Helios before anyone even thinks to look for them. Easy. He takes a few breaths to steady himself, squaring his shoulders. A few Pandoreans have surfaced, they look feral, Rhys swallows nervously, hard faced and lean, they look at the car like its something to eat. A man, larger than the rest, with a large scar across his face walks slowly towards them.

Rhys winds the window down, and plasters on a large smile “Hi there, we're looking for uh, Felix?” The man narrows his eyes saying nothing “Are you, uh, do you know where we might find him? He has something for us” The scarred man snorts, coughs and then spits on the ground, Rhys doesn't flinch but leans back towards Vaughn ever so slightly.

“Listen buddy -” Rhys starts to say but is rudely cut off when the man lets out another hacking cough

“You that Hyperion boy?” The man scowls

Rhys grimaces “We're...associated with Hyperion for this matter” He smiles, he knows what reputation Hyperion, he's not going to pretend that they are the good guys here, he's well aware that the things they do aren't exactly ethical.

The scarred man scoffs but seems to relax a bit. “This way, boys” He says with a sneer, he's seems to be missing half the teeth from the right side of his jaw, Rhys notes uncomfortably, he shares a look with Vaughn who looks slightly green. Fuck it, Rhys thinks, he's a strong independent omega who don't need no alpha! (that and he has a pretty high grade stun baton strapped to his side, and maybe if push comes to shove his siren powers might ya know, do him a favour) he exits the car with a little less grace than he was going for, he waits until Vaughn reaches his side the scarred man watching him with shrewd eyes, before with a violent jerk of his head he turns and stalks off towards a battered old shipping container further off from the main hovel.

Rhys and Vaughn follow, one more willingly than the other.

He's surprised when they follow the man into the container and it appears to be larger on the inside, it seems to open up down to some sort of cavern, the man stops near the entrance, turning to block it with his back.

There is very little light filtering through, Rhys feels Vaughn shift nervously at his side.

“Got the goods?” The man growls, Rhys can't quite pick up on his scent, but he's suspecting beta with some serious alpha ambition.

“Do you?” Rhys snaps back. The man just grins, before stepping away into the darkness behind him. Rhys huffs and moves to follow but Vaughn clamps onto his arm, he looks down and Vaughn shakes his head, they have an intense non-verbal discussion of 'don't do that' and 'yes I will' before the scarred man makes his return, holding a very large box. He sets it gingerly on the ground. Rhys steps forward but the man grabs his gun and aims it at them.

“Woah, buddy, lets not uh, get carried away here” Vaughn says, stepping in front of Rhys, hands raised a loft, briefcase dangling from one of his wrists.

“Show me the cash, Hyperion” The man snarls.

“Yeah, yeah” Vaughn says, glancing at Rhys who nods stiffly, he unlatches the briefcase and shows the man inside, the man tenses, and then grins.

“Never thought I'd get good business from Hyperion” The man stretches out his arm making a beckoning sign.

“Yeah, lets just make sure what you have is worth it” Rhys says, narrowing his eyes and folding his arms over his chest. The scarred man snorts and rolls his eyes before stepping back and gesturing at the box, he quirks an eyebrow at Rhys who steps hesitantly forward.

The box is simple, not high tech at all, the latch pops open easily and he very, very carefully lifts the lid. He quickly slams it back down again.

“Give, uh, give the man his money Vaughn” He says, his voice crackles slightly. Vaughn uncuffs the briefcase and kicks it over to the scarred man who lunges for it picking it up and cradling it close to his chest. There is a odd strange stand off, Rhys can feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise, he wants to get the hell out of here now.

“We good?” He says, aiming for chilled and missing terribly.

The scarred man grins like something out of a nightmare “Yeah, Hyperion, we gooooood” and then he winks which is completely uncalled for.

“Okay” Rhys says, stepping backwards, holding the box with his cybernetic arm. Vaughn keep his pace with him as they back out of the container and out into the startlingly bright light. “Get the car” He says out of the side of his mouth, he can't see Vaughns' look but he can feel it. They both make their way back to the car, a fast pace that doesn't quite reach that of a out right run but is close to it. As soon as they make it into the car and Rhys gets the door closed a breath he didn't know he was holding bursts out of his chest.

“Okay, well, that was -”

“Bro, just shut up and drive” Vaughn says faintly, Rhys nods and starts the car, thighs clamped tight around the box in his lap. He sees the scarred man has re-emerged from the container, briefcase gone from sight, he shouts something and the other Pandoreans milling around the place seem to snap into positions, turning and focusing on the car. “Rhys” Vaughn whispers, as almost as one the others start to raise their guns.

Rhys slams on the accelerator and the car lurches forward, he keeps his foot down, and the Pandora background blurs slightly so far there is no sign that they are being followed and he hadn't seen any vehicles at the hovel but pretty everything on Pandora looks like junk. There is tense silence in the car.

“So was it worth it?” Vaughn says, sounding tired

“Uh yeah bro” Rhys says, flexing his hands on the steering wheel and letting the car slow down so he can turn to look at his friend. “Definitely worth it”

“And what exactly is it”

“Oh you know, just a Vault Key” Rhys laughs

“A Vault - dude, no way” Vaughn leans closer staring at the box with wide eyes

“Yep” Rhys says, grinning “Jack is going to be so-”

“Not homicidal about the uh, 'reallocation of funds'” Vaughn says drily, and Rhys huffs, fixing his grip on the wheel of the car to turn and stare at his best friend.

“Dude, Handsome Jack is not going to kill you” He says firmly.

Vaughn doesn't say anything and scowls his feet instead.

“Its easy, we simply tell him that Vasquez was embezzling money to buy a Vault Key to fund his own retirement plans, and that it was a time sensitive issue” Rhys says – in calm voice that will hopefully keep Vaughn from freaking out, _again_ , he sees his bud relax slightly, posture easing back into the comfortable seats. “Anyway, its done now” Rhys says, flicking on the navigation controls and searching for the quickest – safest – route to the nearest Hyperion shuttle bay, he really doesn't want to go back the way they came.

Vaughn removes his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose saying nothing.

Rhys looks at him out of the corner of his eye “Dude, bro” He says, and Vaughn blinks at him with a weary look “It's going to be  _fine_ ” Which of course is when the car suddenly stops.

“ _Heeeey there kitten”_

Rhys freezes as the sound of Jacks voice filteres through the car speakers. He hears Vaughn whisper a prayer under his breath and he tries to gather his thoughts – Jack was away, Jack was on holiday, how the hell was Jack in the car.

“ _So this is kinda a one way call, I'm sure you have questions; I know I_ _ **certainly**_ _do, so why don't you do us both a favour and head on back up home, okay pumpkin?”_

The car starts up again, the steering wheel turning of its own accor and the car begins to increase speed. Rhys turns to Vaughn, eyes wide. His bro of bros won't even look at him.

“It's uh -”

“I swear to god Rhys, if you say it's going to be fine one more time” Vaughn grits through clenched teeth.

Rhys attempts to hack the cars system half-heartedly but he's completely locked out and he doesn't entirely want to push his luck with Jack, the desert plains of Pandora stream past the window, and Rhys gathers himself for the interrogation to come. He looks down at the box in his lap; at least he isn't heading home empty handed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its another short one, I've sort of hit a writing wall, I have all these plans for things but getting the story to them is causing me some problems. Please enjoy and let me know what you think :) thank you!


	7. Chapter 7

Rhys spends the majority of the shuttle trip back to Helios keeping Vaughn calm, holding onto the Vault Key with a fierce grip and planning on how to Deal with the Jack Situation. So far he hasn't got much. 

He's tempted to just throw the box at Jack, and stay in the shuttle. Vaughn hasn't said much since leaving Pandora, and despite what they are going to face, Rhys feels himself relax the further away they get from the planet, the uncomfortable itch in his skeleton fading with every moment. 

“Okay” He says, taking in a deep breath as the shuttle lands. He's going to talk fast, keep talking and distract Jack. He stops half way down the shuttle ramp. There are a massive amount of Loader Bots, more than he has seen in once place before and in front of him, glowering is Handsome Jack. The entire bay is thick with the scent of his anger.

“So uh -” He starts, trying to reach out with his powers to see how to calm and manage Jacks temper but before he can Jack growls low in the back of his throat, it has the intended effect. Rhys can't help the way his body snaps to attention.

“Zip it kiddo” Jack snarls with narrowed eyes “This way” He sweeps off, loader bots parting like a sea and leaving a gap in his wake.

Rhys follows and hears Vaughn dragging his feet behind him; he's still trying to get a read on Jack but something isn't quite right, he looks like Handsome Jack, he walks like Handsome Jack and he smells like Handsome Jack but he doesn't feel like Handsome Jack, they make it to the elevator in record time, as soon as the door closes Rhys opens his mouth

“Not a word” Jack says, closing his eyes and piercing the bridge of his nose “Not one single frigging' word outta you pumpkin” Rhys closes his mouth, and looks closer at Handsome Jack who is not Handsome Jack. He follows the not-Jack to his office, now a little bit more confident in his situation. 

Not-Jack stomps up the stairs, throwing himself down on the throne behind his desk and beckons them forward with a crook of his finger. Rhys passes the box to Vaughn, who startles and nearly drops it before cradling it close to his chest.

“You aren't Jack” He says, narrowing his eyes, moving to stand in front of Vaughn,

Not-Jack glances back between Rhys and Vaughn “Wanna run that by me again, sweetness?”

“You're not Handsome Jack” Rhys snarls, he can feel the tremor of power in his fingers, little flickers of static across his finger tips.

“Not Handsome Jack?” The one hundred precent not-Jack says with a quirk of his eyebrow “Kiddo, I....uh, fine, no, I'm not Jack” The not-Jack sighs, and his posture changes, slouching down, rubbing his hand over his forehead and groaning slightly 

“Yeah, I'm Tim” He sighs deflating. “Jack had me take over - and then he called looking for you” He tips his head back, glares at Rhys, the resemblance is uncanny. “And then of course, we couldn't find you, and do I have to explain how that is not a great conversation to have with Jack”

“But he's not here? Right?” Rhys asks

“Pumpkin, he's on his way back.” Tim says “So far, all he knows is we lost you and then found you, thankfully, he doesn't' seem to know about your little unsanctioned trip, and believe me, I do not want to find out what he's going to do if he finds out we let his omega go traipsing around unguarded on Pandora” 

“I'm not his omega” Rhys snaps back “And besides, I think Jack will be pretty impressed with what we got for him on Pandora”

“Really? Wow, okay, I cannot wait to hear what this is” Tim says sardonically. 

Rhys gestures to Vaughn, who looks back and forth between Rhys and Tim before sighing and placing the box down on the desk. Tim frowns at it, poking the box with a stylus before glaring up at Rhys.

“Open it” He says, smiling and folding his arms over his chest “You know Jack, think he'll be impressed?”

Tim snorts rising to his feet and cracking open the box, he blinks down into it and then looks up at Rhys “You have got to be kidding” 

“No” Rhys preens “One Vault Key” 

“Kiddo....” Tim says, leaning forward on the desk “I don't know what this is but it isn't a Vault Key”

The temperature in the room seems to plummet, he can hear Vaughn shiver beside him.

“It...”

“I mean its Eridian tech, but this isn't a Vault Key, trust me” Tim says, peering into the box.

Rhys steps forward, frowning at the box, the conical shape is large, marks of eridium shine through the carved stone. “But it's important” Rhys says, insistently.

“Yeah, eridium tech is always important, and Jack is probably going to be interested in it – once you know, he's broken your legs”

Rhys flinches back, and glances at Vaughn who has gone whiter than any person still living has any right to be. “No I mean, it -” Doubts and second guesses flood his system – shit, he'd been so sure – he knows this object is important, he can feel it in his bones as if it has been calling to him from miles and miles away. “It's worth it” He whispers reaching into the box.

“Rhys?”

“Rhys!”

Tim slams the box back shut, Rhys blinks up at him “Hey!”

“Yeah, no” 

“But it's -”

“Alien tech that is going to go to the labs before you paw all over it – it could be anything!”

“So what are you going to tell Handsome Jack?” Vaughn breaks the silence, Rhys turns around and looks at him before looking back at Tim.

“Well uh....Ah shit” Tim says, looking over Rhys' shoulder, “Incoming”

The doors to the office open with a lot more force than he's seen them move before. Jack strides through, hands on hips he stops, stares and scowls.

“Alright, you” He snaps his fingers “Outta my chair – midget, get gone, sugar tits, stay right there” There is a flurry of activity, Vaughn bolts sharing a look of pity with Rhys and Tim steps away to the side, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Jack sighs “Actually, Timtams, you can go too”

Tim disappears off to a side room purposely not looking at Rhys or Jack. The door closes, and its just the two of them, Jack stares, expression hard and cold, Rhys swallows and looks down at his feet, there's dust and sand on his shoes. 

“I found something” He says, wrapping his arms around his chest for comfort “It's...well, look” he nods towards the box.

“And I'm sure that something can wait – do you know why I'm here Rhysie?” Jacks says quiet with danger 

“Because uh” Rhys swallows

“Because Angel wanted you. So, when I called back to tell you to get your ass in gear, imagine my surprise when they couldn't find you.”

“I was uh -”

“At the Arcade? Eating your body weight at the ice cream store?” Jack presses forward with every word, voice dropping to a hiss but now so close to Rhys he can feel his breath on his cheek. “Don't lie to me”

“Pandora” Rhys breathes, eyes locked on Jacks. 

“Pan? - Pandora?” Jack reels back with a laugh “Are you, screwing with me sweetheart?”

Rhys settles back his shoulders, looks Handsome Jack straight in the eye, opens his mouth. “I found out someone was going to buy an eridium artefact with Hyperion money, I stopped them and got it for you myself” His voice doesn't even hitch although he can sweat beading on his forehead and upper lip.

The silence is unbearable Jack rolls back on to his heels and then forward again, folding his arms across his chest and looking at Rhys as if he's seeing him for the very first time. “Is this” He says quietly “A joke? Because, if it is -”

Rhys huffs, and reaches towards the box flipping open the lid and keeping his eyes locked with Jack, the unsettling purple flickers over both their features, highlighting and casting shadows. Jack eyes slowly move from tracking across Rhys' face to look down at the box. Rhys is now pretty sure he can say that he has seen Handsome Jack of his stride a few times more than any other living person. Jack moves towards the box as if drawn, he shoulders past Rhys blocking him away from the box that he leans over.  
“Rhysie?” Jack says, voice cracking before he clears his throat, turning to look at Rhys over his shoulder.

“Yeah?” Rhys says, inching closer.

“Go get Angel, she's in the shuttle, take her up to the penthouse” By the time he's finished speaking his looking back down at the box, attention focused on it instead of anything.

“I...okay, I will go and, I will go and do that” He says, not that Jack hears or pays any attention to him, he keeps his pace steady until he's out of the office, pausing to lean against the once they're closed. “Fuck...” He breaths out. He straightens his jacket and tie, already firing up a message to Vaughn as he makes his way back to the shuttle bay.

A message flickers back across his screen before he is even half way there, the sender is redacted, there's no subject and the message is simply two lines;

> tell angel sorry some won screwed up.  
>Ill bye her a pony.

A few seconds later, another message:  
> made of diamonds.

He doesn't know how to respond, and just blinks the message away, sighing in irritation. He makes it to the shuttle, the loader bots take little notice of him, he peers into the fancy craft, far, far more glamorous than the one he and Vaughn had – uh, acquired. Angel is sitting inside, curled up and peering down at something under the table. Rhys raps his knuckles on the side of the shuttle door.

“Angel?”

“Rhys!” She exclaims, leaping towards him before stopping and frowning. “Where's my daddy?”

“He uh, well, something came up Angel and he's really really sorry” Rhys winces, not even starting to believe his own crap. “But, he's going to make it up to you – and hey, how about you and me get special ice cream tonight? All the flavours you like”

Angel nods, looking a little lost and forlorn and Rhys feels like shit “Okay...but can...” She glances back “can my friend come with?”

Rhys blinks “Your friend?” Angel nods before turning away, from beneath the table a small vacuum bot edges out and bleeps plaintively. “Yeah, okay, they, can come to, we'll....break up some cones for him to hoover up” Angel beams up at him, sliding her hand into his robotic one. The little robot whirls and beeps at her feet.

Another message blinks across his vision as they're walking towards the elevator bank.

> We'll talk when I get back.

Rhys dismisses it with a frown, wishing there was some sort of way of slamming a ECHO message shut. 

They do not in fact talk when Jack gets back, because Jack does not get back before Rhys can stay awake for any longer. He feels good to be clean - something Pandoran sunk into his pores, but even his worry over the conversation he's due to have with Jack can't take over the tiredness that creeps across his body. He gives up and goes to bed, he's not going to stay up until Angel gets back up waiting for Jack.

He wakes up slowly, there's a pressure, a firm but insistent push from inside his own body. His breath hitches, he's not in a room he recognises, the large windows show a city skyline. Sitting up is awkward, his belly is swollen and hard, he can see it move beneath the stretched Hyperion shirt, his flesh hand shakes reaching up to confirm. 

“Fuck, no” He breathes out alarmed, eyes widening and looking around in fear. This has to be some sort of nightmare, too much ice cream late at night, he should know better. He shifts, its awkward to get his balance with his centre of gravity is so wrong. He takes a hesitant step forward and then another. The floor under his feet changes to sand, he slips and almost falls before he doesn't.

He's back in the room. He looks around warily, he feels the phantom grit of sand between his toes. He edges forward again, making for the large double doors the floor feels cold and solid but he can't help but shake the feeling that it could all just suddenly...

BANG!

The doors he was aiming towards fly open, and Angel barrels through them laughing, she's older – not by much but certainly not as young as the one he knows for sure is asleep. She looks at Rhys with a guilty smile

“Sorry, did I wake you?” She is gripping a soft toy unicorn in her hands, her fingers flex around it nervously.

“Uh no, I was – Angel – where?”

“Did they wake you?” She scowls at his stomach now, holding her toy closer to her chest.

“Angel!” Jacks voice calls from further away, Angel peers back before looking up at Rhys 

“Can I stay here? I don't want to do any more tests” She whines, moving towards him to clutch at his side “Please” She muffles into his stomach, he can feel something move inside, his stomach would turn if it weren't already.

“Angel, honey, we talked about this” Jack leans in from the door, there's...something off about him, face tight and eyes bright “You need to practice” He beckons her forward, before glancing up at Rhys, his smile changes into something sharp. “And you need to rest”

“I'mmfine” He says, voice hoarse, he coughs to clear it, “It's fine, Angel can stay here” He runs his hand over her head, she presses in closer, something pushes back against her, he can feel it, physically and....he looks down, he can feel them. There's power, not just his own, not just Angels, but two separate points gathered so close and tight together within himself. They pulse and weave, hungry. His breath feels ripped from his chest, the floor gives away to sand once more, and this time he does fall.

He barely stops a sound from leaving him as he jerks upright, the cold silence of the guest room echoing his gasping breath and the thundering his his heart. He pushes his hand against his stomach, and doesn't feel anything. He kicks back the covers and hastily makes his way towards the mirror he twists, this way and that. Nothing there but the faint hint of one two many ice creams, but nothing else, still his hand continues to shake as he adjusts the hem of his shirt.

He shivers, running shaking hands through his hair.

“Okay, okay, bad dream” He says, leaning forward and taking steady counted breaths in and out. “Nothing to worry about, just uh, bad – weird – bad dream.” Still its hard to clear the fog from his mind, he blinks at his reflection. He still feels wrong, out of sync, his not consciously aware of deciding he needs to check on Angel before he's already leaving his room and padding barefoot towards hers.

“Going somewhere?” Jacks voice rumbles out of the darkness, and Rhys jerks in surprise, turning towards him with wide eyes.

“No I uh” He flounders over what to say, and hates himself for it, words were his primary weapon, his greatest defence “I just – was going to”

“Take another little excursion” Jacks smile is all teeth and no warmth, Rhys shakes his head.

“No, It's uh, I had a bad dream – its nothing I'm sure but -” Jacks posture changes, his shoulders flex and straighten out, as he brushes past Rhys towards Angels room. They both hover at the door as Jack carefully slides it open. Angel is there. She's fine, she's safe.

There's a lingering silence as they both watch her chest rise and fall, mouth lax, arm curled over her head, her hair already coming loose from where it had been tied back. He feels Jack relax, let out a soft sigh, he closes the door, and presses his head against it, Rhys goes to step away but Jacks hand snaps up and locks around his wrist before he can get any further.

“Gotta stop givin' me grey hairs, Rhysie” Jack murmurs, before pulling away from the door and Rhys towards him. “I mean, I'd be a total silver fox, but I'm not quite at that stage yet” He tugs Rhys with him and towards the kitchen area. “We're gonna have that talk”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for being so late with an update, hope you enjoy :)


	8. Chapter 8

Jack is _looking_ at him, it's intense and unnerving, Rhys feels exposed, like Jack can some how see everything in him – every cell, every atom. Neither one has spoken since they made the way into the kitchen, there's an underlying crackle of tension in the air, but he doesn't feel scared – not too much – there's no anger in Jack, none directed at him at least.

They're in the kitchen, sitting at opposite sides of the breakfast bar, there are two large glasses of something strong by the smell of it sitting out – Rhys hasn't moved to touch his glass yet, wary of this silence and the urge to remain still under Jacks watch.

Jack tips his head, a small smile almost tugs at the corner of his mouth “You are quite something else, Rhysie” He murmurs, appreciatively, before frowning “But, and I hate that we're having to have this conversation again, really, I do love the sound of my own voice – who doesn't – but I dunno, I feel like when I'm having to repeat myself it means someone isn't paying attention” He leans forward, hand resting on top of the glass “You get my drift here, kitten?”

“Angel wasn't here” He says firmly, meeting Jacks gaze “Angel wasn't here – I'm, uh, sorry about the money though...and the car”

Jack snorts “Rhysie, I don't give to flying fucks about the money, or the car – trust me, it's of so very little importance – but Pandora is dangerous”

Rhys opens his mouth and then closes it “I know – but”

“Do you even” Jack sighs and rolls his eyes “Here it is...No trips off the station – no leaving Helios without an squadron of Loader Bots, in fact, no wondering around Helios without a guard – which I'm fairly you should have had”

Rhys winces, he'd enjoyed not having a heavily armed shadow.

“Angel can't loose you” Jack says, and his voice is firm, Rhys feels like those words settle into his very bones. He doesn't trust his voice so he nods.

Jack downs his own glass with two large gulps, wordlessly, Rhys slides his own over, Jack grunts in acknowledgement, holding it up to his mouth for a moment, gazing past Rhys' shoulder into space.

“The..uh – eridium artefact is it -”

Jack laughs “Oh its something alright, having to hunt down an old Dahl acquaintance to look at it” Jacks eyes track back to Rhys, and his smile is a little less cruel “You definitely brought me back something good” Rhys nods, he has an urge to ask to see it again, but keeps his mouth shut as Jack pulls away from the table and stands up, moving around to loom over Rhys, he stands so close that he can feel the heat from his body, something tugs Rhys towards Jack and he only keeps himself still by sheer force of will.

“Don't do it again” Jack says, softly, brushing a thumb over the nueroport, Rhys shivers at the contact. They stare at each other for a moment, and suddenly Rhys cannot stop the words from suddenly bursting out of his mouth

“I drugged Vasquez and left him in a maintenance cupboard” It comes out fast, and Jack blinks down at him seemingly stunned for a few moments

“....Who?”

“Uh, he's the one who was going to get”

Jacks face does a complicated thing that Rhys has no hope of decoding. “Rhys, trust me, that is...” He waves a hand in the air “Really, really, not the important thing here”.

“Okay” Rhys says and the tension between them seems to have dissipated, Jack gives him a bemused look, before brushing past and heading down towards his home office.

“Going to be working late for a while now kitten” Jack calls over his shoulder, and Rhys nods, blinks

“Yeah, okay” He says to Jacks back feeling as if he's missing something quite important.

They settle back into some sort of pattern, Jack is gone far more than not and from the buzz around Helios they are onto something big - It bugs Rhys that he isn't a part of it, when he is a cause of it, but he bites his lip, keeps calm and keeps sweet. Jack does buy Angel a pony, and it is made of out diamonds, it's the most godawful ostentatious thing Rhys has ever seen; Angel and Jack adore it, they call it Butt Stallion with no sense of shame and a great deal of amusement.

Rhys notices Maya too is away more and more, she looks tense and he would almost say frazzled if he thought such a word could apply to the alpha siren, he still avoids her as much as he can and their interactions are limited to and through Angel - he's more than happy to keep it that way, something is bothering her and it sets him on edge.

Per Jacks orders, his armed shadows has re-emerged and he can't set a foot outside of the penthouse without one of them surfacing. It's going to become a problem in the future, he can see that, but for now he keeps his head down and focuses on keeping Angel – and Jack – happy.

He's lounging in the main living space, messaging Vaughn back and forth about the newest leaks from the next big game and trying to rebuild some of his hype while reminding himself that time is a little bit more limited and harder to structure these days. It's late, but not to late, and he isn't expecting Jack or Maya anytime soon so when he hears the penthouse doors open, he straightens up. He can tell it's Jack right away and sure enough the man himself soon appears, lounging deliberately causally against the wall across from Rhys and smiling in a distinctly self-satisfied way.

He stares for long enough for Rhys to get slightly uncomfortable, huffing he dismisses the conversation he's having with Vaughn with a curl of his finger and raises an eyebrow in Jacks direction. “What?” He asks and Jack rolls back on his heels for a moment before straightening back up and crossing over to Rhys, his smile grows and he points out a finger, waving it slightly before pushing it on to Rhys' head causing him to tilt back, he scowls up at Jack who grins back down.

“You, are just a gift from the universe it's self aren't you?” Jack says softly and quietly. He reaches up and bats Jacks hand away irritated, Jacks eyes narrow for a moment before he steps back and then flops down to lounge next to Rhys on the couch. He sits there coiled and tense despite how causal his posture is before he's up once more, making his way towards the kitchen area “ _We_ have a cause to celebrate”

Intrigued, Rhys gets up and slowly follows Jack who is busying himself with two flutes and a expensive-looking bottle of champagne that Rhys doesn't recall seeing in the kitchen before now. “What, exactly, are we celebrating?” He asks, accepting the glass from Jack who simply smiles, raises his own glass to clink against the one Rhys holds

“We – I – am celebrating the fact that Hyperion is going to be the only god damn powerhouse in all worlds” Jack says, voice dark almost hypnotic. Which, Rhys already considered to already be a thing, sure there were still some sort of competition from a few of the other companies, but Hyperion still leads the way, Atlas is destroyed and Dahl is no where near rebuilding what it lost when Handsome Jack chased them from Pandora and starting finding strong sources of eridium to mine.

He sips at his drink to let the silence between them settle, and blinks when he realises just how close Jack has gotten, Jack is watching him again in that same intense way that makes Rhys swither between preening and wanting to duck away and hide. “You brought me a map, baby” Jack murmurs, setting down his glass, to slide both his hands around Rhys' biceps.

“A map?” Rhys echoes, feeling himself step closer to Jack, the glass in his hand pressed between them trembles

“Map of the stars” Jack says, leaning in closer “A map of the Vaults – all of 'em”

Rhys is still trying to compute what Jack is saying with what Jack is doing, which isn't much just pressing even closer, dimly he's aware of the glass being removed from his hand, of Jack coming in even closer. His mind is still spiralling – _Vaults,_ that could, that _would_ change the universe – all six galaxies and maybe even beyond. 

“Rhysie” Jack is saying into his hear “Tell me no” and now pulling back to look, and Rhys looks back at him, _sees_ Jack, the Vaults, and feels the power that seems to surge underneath his skin. Saying no isn't a possibility. Hesitantly he leans forward, he knows where this is going and presses his lips against Jacks, he can feel Jacks lip curl up in a smile against his.

“Wanna rule the universe baby?” Jack purrs, Rhys smiles back, and when Jack leans into kiss him again he opens his mouth, pressing their bodies close together, Jacks eyes are bright and shining when Rhys looks into them as they pull away for a moment.

“Yes” He says, voice sure and clam, and he can't help the grin that takes over. His minds still off circuit, and he'll take tomorrow to really, really, look at what's going on here, but now with Jack? Yes is the only word that seems to exist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's another short one, I know, I'm sorry. Comments and kudos are appreicated and adored, thank you all so much :)


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